‘Sober home’ resident murdered and stuffed into a trash can. Case remains unsolved. Video by PBSO below.

Tyler Etue was found murdered 4 years ago

in City of Lake Worth.

Stay anonymous. No fear of retribution.

Lake Worth Beach: Be eligible for a reward for helping solve crime including cold cases.

Former Palm Beach Post journalist Alexandra Seltzer was the lead on this story after Etue was reported missing and posted this update on Sept. 19th, 2015.

On September 9th, 2015, Tyler Etue was found murdered in the City of Lake Worth. It was this news that shocked a lot of people and had the public wondering what was actually happening in those so-called ‘sober homes’ being bought all over town. The people buying these properties called themselves “investors”.

Then a so-called ‘church’ opened up in our Downtown attracting even more drug addicts promising they could get help here in our City. And then the ‘counseling centers’ and self-described treatment centers opened up in this City known as having a “Key West attitude” as some would call it. A party town.

Desperate families up north thought they were sending their children to a treatment center in a sprawling gated community ‘in Lake Worth’ but in actuality these young people were stuffed into overcrowded single family homes in the City of Lake Worth, a coastal municipality four years ago already overwhelmed with problems.

Too late for people such as Tyler Etue was a public meeting the next year on the evening of Sept. 26th, 2016. The public had had enough of sober homes. What happened at that meeting in this City shook the walls in Tallahassee and got everyone’s attention in the halls of the U.S. Congress and President Barack Obama too. For those of you not here at the time click on this link to find out what happened.

Yes. People did come to this City to get help. And yes, many of them did go home in body bags. The murder of Tyler Etue remains unsolved. Somebody knows what happened:


September 2015—While PBSO deputies and detectives handed out information to the public in Lake Worth trying to find a missing person (Tyler Etue) they discovered his body in a trash can. The public is asked to call the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office or Crimestoppers (800-458-8477) with any information they may have to solve Tyler's murder.


This video is in two parts. One is of the initial investigation and the second concerns the events leading up to the discovery of the body:

A timely reminder: Health risks and concerns related to raising chickens in urban environments.

Although many loyal blog readers are all-too-familiar with the history of the ‘Urban Chicken’ we all have to be reminded from time to time there are many new and recently-new residents who know little or nothing about this political fight that once raged in this City.

Yes. The story about the ‘Urban Chicken’ is funny. And yes, it’s a little tongue-in-cheek too. But what’s not so funny is thinking about all the people — including infants, young children and the elderly — who have gotten sick and ended up in the emergency room:

Seven outbreaks of salmonella linked to live poultry in backyard flocks have caused 324 cases of illness in 35 states since January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Sixty-six of the ill individuals have been hospitalized. . . . “Results from these investigations showed that contact with live poultry in backyard flocks was the likely source of these outbreaks,” the agency said.

Without further ado. . .

Raising chickens, aka ‘Urban Chickens’ IS NOT LEGAL in Lake Worth Beach despite what you may have heard.

Besides the many health problems created by raising chickens in an urban environment is attracting predators. In 2017 there were news reports of coyotes as close by as Greenacres killing cats and other small small animals as well. What do coyotes especially like to hunt? You guessed right: chickens (see “Attraction of predators” below).

Some people argue that raising chickens in the backyard makes economic sense. To save a few pennies on eggs? Have you seen the price of eggs lately at Publix?

The ‘urban chicken’ IS NOT merely a nuisance.

The animals present very serious health concerns for young children and the elderly, issues with food safety, infectious diseases, biosecurity, not to mention the added burden on local Code Enforcement to answer complaints and having to take the time and educate the public about the facts.

The following information comes from a well-researched document about human health concerns associated with raising chickens in an urban environment:

• Bacterial diseases: Salmonella and Campylobacter are common public health hazards potentially associated with chicken contact.
• Histoplasmosis: Histoplasmosis can cause a respiratory disease with cough and shortness of breath.
• Avian influenza (bird flu): Avian influenza is a theoretical public health hazard potentially associated with urban chicken farming.
• Attraction of predators: The attraction of predators is a public health hazard potentially associated with urban chicken farming (e.g., coyotes)
• Attraction of rodents: The attraction of rodents is a public health hazard potentially associated with urban chicken farming.
• Nuisance issues

Management and handling of poultry in small backyard flocks:

• Keep baby chicks and adult poultry away from persons with weaker immune systems, including the elderly, pregnant women, diabetics, patients receiving chemotherapy and people infected with HIV.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that person not keep chickens if the household has children less than five years of age.
• Make sure that people who handle the chickens or their droppings, wash hands properly with soap and water following contact.
• Do not eat or drink around the poultry.
• Keep poultry away from food preparation areas.
• Do not wash items, such as water or food dishes, from chicken coops in the kitchen sink.
• Do not allow poultry to roam in the house.
• Maintain the area where the poultry are present in a sanitary manner.
• See your physician if you experience fever and diarrhea.

Conclusion

Communities that permit urban chicken farming are advised to ensure that flock owners receive educational materials on infectious diseases, animal husbandry, food safety and biosecurity. These communities also should have a system in place for responding to community complaints.

Are those few pennies saved raising chickens for eggs worth exposing your neighbors to avoidable health risks and safety issues?

This image is from the blog of Tom McGow, a former blogger-extraordinaire here in this City.

It was Mr. McGow who chronicled the 2009 crusade promoting the ‘urban chicken’. Note that it was during this time the City’s Code Enforcement Dept. was being gutted as well. Ergo why home values plummeted so deeply in this City 8–12 years ago.

Save The Date!

Saturday, December 14th at 6:00.

Become a subscriber today for updates and news from Lake Worth Beach, click on this link.

PUBLIC SAFETY REMINDER: Stormwater and drainage.

“Most times there is not a problem, Mabel. It’s only a problem when it rains. Call that reporter again!”

In Lake Worth Beach if you are having problems with water drainage in your neighborhood don’t wait until the next major weather event to call CBS12 or a reporter from the Post. They cannot help you.

What will help is contacting the City’s Stormwater Division at the Public Services Dept. You can contact the supervisor and/or the office if you have a problem. For all that information click on this link.

Whilst on topic here is an idea for the Public Services Dept. in this City: A clever way to get the word out.

 Courtesy of the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District in the fine American State of Ohio.

Click on image to enlarge:

“Thank your storm drain for all it does for you.”

Have YOU thanked YOUR storm drain today?

From the City’s website: “Lake Worth was platted in the early 1900s with an extensive network of alleyways. Historically, alleyways were used as service corridors for utilities and deliveries in the back of homes and businesses. Alleyways also provided a rear access to a property where a garage may have been located in residential areas.
     While times have changed — deliveries may no longer take place in alleys and garbage collection takes place out front — many of Lake Worth’s water and electric lines are still located in the alleyways.
     Lake Worth alleys are narrow, ranging in size from roughly 10 ft. in residential areas up to 15 ft. wide in commercial areas. They are barely wide enough to accommodate the big, burly trucks, equipment and teams for the efficient delivery of utilities services when clear.”

Who is responsible for
the alleyways?

City’s Responsibility:

• Mow and grade alleyways.
• Keep power lines clear of foliage.

Citizen’s Responsibility:

• Keep alley clear of all trash behind your property.
• Dispose of any bulk items in the proper manner. Not in the alley.
• Keep hedges, shrubs, and trees trimmed. Out of the alley.

Two items from the Q&A:

What is an easement?
Portion(s) of a property owner’s land where the City is provided legally granted access for utilities or other City essential services.
Who owns the easement anyway? The property owner or the City utilities?
Property owners own the land. As a property owner, it is your responsibility to keep all areas of the easement free of debris and structures so City utilities crews can do their work.

Friday: Come out and enjoy the fun in Downtown Lake Worth Beach!

It’s the monthly Lake Ave. Block Party from 6:00–10:00.

Let’s begin with traffic, detours and pedestrian areas.

Starting at 4:00 on Friday in downtown LWB — on Lake Ave. east of Dixie Hwy. to Federal Hwy. — this roadway will be closed to traffic. Parking along Lake Ave. will not be permitted on the street after 4:00 and traffic will be diverted eastbound on either 2nd Ave. North or 2nd Ave. South.

Due to the amazing success of this monthly event the City expanded the pedestrian areas to include J Street between 1st Ave. South and Lake Ave. Vehicle traffic will no longer be permitted on J Street betwixt 1st Ave. South and Lake Ave.; traffic will be detoured north on J Street.

If you have any questions please visit City Hall at 7 N. Dixie Hwy. or call 561-533-7300.

Click on image to enlarge:

Hope to see a big crowd Friday
on Lake Ave. in LWB!

Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management Announcement - Post-Hurricane Dorian

After detailed discussion with the National Weather Service and Hurricane Center, a reentry order lifting the mandatory evacuation orders for Zones A and B will be effective at 4:00 pm.

County offices will be closed on Wednesday, September 4, 2019 and resume normal operations on Thursday, September 5. 

Residents may begin exiting shelters. Shelters will remain open overnight and close at 9:00 am Wednesday morning.

EOC will de-escalate to a Level 2 (partial) activation effective 7:00 pm tonight and will remain at that level until approximately 7:00 pm tomorrow, September 4, 2019. 
Palm Tran will resume full service Wednesday, September 4 starting at 4:30 a.m.

For continuing information on Hurricane Dorian contact the Emergency Information Center (EIC) at 561-712-6400. For more information on the Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management and hurricane preparedness, please visit: ReadyPBC.com
Follow us on Twitter @PBCGOV and watch PBC-TV Channel 20.
#PBCGov #Dorian #ReadyPBC

Scam Alert from the REAL City of Lake Worth Beach...

Please note: @Cityoflwb is a fake account and has no affiliation with the City. This is not a real offer. Please be careful of scammers.

Palm Beach County Ordering Evacuations and Opening Shelters

The eastern half of Palm Beach County is now under a Tropical Storm Warning due to the approach of Hurricane Dorian. A Tropical Storm Warning means tropical storm winds are expected in the area within 36 hours. Due to this, mandatory evacuations are being ordered for residential structures in Zone A and Zone B in Palm Beach County, effective at 1 P.M. Sunday, September 1, 2019. The Palm Beach County Emergency Information Center number is 561-712-6400.

Zone A includes mobile homes, sub-standard housing and low-lying areas prone to water intrusion.

Zone B generally includes the barrier islands, land areas north and south of the Jupiter Inlet, and other surge-vulnerable areas south along the Intracoastal Waterway to the Broward County line.

If you choose to not evacuate to a shelter, please evacuate miles not hundreds of miles. Most of Palm Beach County is not being evacuated and residents should shelter within the county if possible. With the unpredictable nature of Hurricane Dorian, evacuating north is not recommended.

To determine if your home is in a storm surge evacuation zone, go to readyPBC.com or download our free app “PBC DART.”  If you are not in an evacuation zone, please shelter in place.

At 1 p.m. today, Sunday, September 1, Palm Beach County will open seven general population shelters, as well as the special needs shelter at the South Florida Fairgrounds and the pet-friendly shelter at West Boynton Recreation Center.

The seven general population shelters are:
Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elem. School, 1501 Avenue U, Riviera Beach
Independence Middle School, 4001 Greenway Dr., Jupiter
Lakeshore Middle School, 425 W Canal St N, Belle Glade
Pahokee Middle School, 850 Larrimore Rd, Pahokee
Palm Beach Gardens High School, 4245 Holly Dr., Palm Beach Gardens
Palm Beach Central High School, 8499 Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington
Park Vista High School, 7900 Jog Rd, Lake Worth

The special needs shelter is located at 9067 Southern Boulevard, West Palm Beach. If you are registered, you should have received a notification. People with special medical needs should register for our Special Needs Program by calling (561) 712-6400 or visiting our website www.readypbc.org.

The pet-friendly shelter is located at 6000 Northtree Boulevard, Lake Worth. This shelter is available to Palm Beach County residents residing in a mandatory evacuation zone or in mobile homes. Proof of residency is required. Space is limited and restrictions apply. Each pet must be accompanied by only one owner who will stay at the shelter. Other family members will need to stay at nearby Park Vista High School, 7900 Jog Road, Lake Worth,

The available space for each person at a general shelter is 20 square feet. That’s 4 feet by 5 feet of floor space. Please bring snacks with you to the shelter, only dinner will be served Sunday evening. Shelters will be opening in The Glades and residents from Zone A can evacuate to those shelters.

Palm Tran serves many shelter locations. Additionally, all Palm Tran services will be free on Sunday.

The Sheriff’s Office assures they will not be checking the immigration status of any person coming to a shelter.

If you choose to go to a hurricane shelter, please bring the following:
•          3 day supply of water
•          2 changes of comfortable clothes
•          Flashlight with extra batteries
•          Cell phone and a battery-operated charger
•          Medications and prescriptions
•          Snacks/Special diet foods
•          Cash
•          Photocopies of valuable documents
•          Games, books and playing cards for entertainment during your stay
•          Space is limited, so please pack accordingly
•          Weapons are prohibited in shelters

For continuing information on Hurricane Dorian, and for more information on the Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management and hurricane preparedness, please visit: www.pbcgov.com/dem, follow us on Twitter @PBCDEM and watch PBC-TV Channel 20.

Public Affairs Manager Becky Robinson, Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County

No waste collection and solid waste facilities closed in PBC Monday and Tuesday
While regular operations will continue through Saturday, Aug. 31, the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County will CLOSE all facilities and operations on Monday, Sept. 2 and Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019, in anticipation of impacts from Hurricane Dorian. No garbage, recyclables or yard waste collection will occur. No onsite drop-offs will be accepted.

The SWA is monitoring conditions and will send information regarding the resumption of normal operations following the storm. SWA facilities will be evaluated for damage as soon as it is safe so they can open and begin receiving garbage.

If a resident finds that their recyclables and/or yard waste was not picked up on their regular collection day, they are asked to take them back into their house or secure them in some way until after the storm passes. Residents are also able to bring their debris to the SWA landfill or an SWA transfer station before the end of business Saturday.

Hurricane Dorian Special Update 3 from the City of Lake Worth Beach

At this time it is becoming more likely that the City of Lake Worth Beach is going to experience a significant weather event over Labor Day weekend. You should be finalizing your preparations and ensuring you are ready to enact your personal hurricane plan if necessary. The City for its part is continuing to make preparations to ensure that we are as ready as possible to respond to whatever comes our way.

Please continue to watch for updates and follow the advice of the Governor and other officials.

City staff have been working hard to prepare the City in case the storm is to hit Lake Worth Beach. You can expect multiple information releases to come from the City before, during, and after the storm.

If you haven't already followed us on social media please click the links below and look out for regular updates.

We are all in this together, Irma didn't beat us and neither will Dorian! We are Lake Worth Beach, a strong and resilient community that will stick together no matter what the weekend brings!

Hurricane Phone line

As Hurricane Dorian makes landfall if you need to report anything storm related to the City please feel free to call (561)586-1695. The City has out of state call center teams who will be able to keep taking calls and providing information even if City staff lose phone service.

Please note that if you have a fire, medical, or law enforcement emergency you should contact 911, not call the City.

Lake Worth Beach Casino and Ocean Complex
(Including Beach, Pier, Casino Building, and Parking lot)

The City of Lake Worth Beach will be closing the Lake Worth Beach Ocean Complex for the public’s safety at 11:45pm on Saturday, August 31st. No one will be granted entry after this time and any cars remaining will be towed. This is to allow staff to make final preparations prior to the hurricane's arrival.


After the storm the entire complex including the beach, pier, and casino building will remain closed until further notice. Palm Beach police will not allow anyone who is not a resident of the Town of Palm Beach on to the island so please do not attempt to cross the bridge going east, you will be turned back.

Lake Worth Beach Parks

The City of Lake Worth Beach will be closing all parks for the public’s safety at sunset on Saturday, August 31st. Parks will remain closed to the public until after the storm has passed and the damage has been assessed and made safe.

Municipal Library

The City of Lake Worth Beach Municipal Library is now closed due to Hurricane Dorian. The library will reopen after the storm has passed and it is safe to do so.

Know your Hurricane Evacuation Routes and Zones!

For more detailed information, click here for the Palm Beach County Hurricane Guide.

Hurricane Dorian Message from the Lake Worth Beach Electric Utility Director Ed Liberty

"As you are already aware there is a potential for Dorian to make landfall near the Lake Worth Beach electric utility service territory.  We are tracking the storm’s progress and making necessary preparations to respond to outages as quickly and safely as possible.  We strongly encourage our customers to prepare their homes and properties, as well as take precautions for their own well being should the storm impact our region.

Maintaining electric service throughout the service territory is our priority.  To that end, I have communicated to our crews and staff to prepare to work through the coming weekend. In addition I have confirmed the availability of our overhead line construction and tree-trimming contractors to assist us if needed.  Should we need even more assistance we have the ability to reach out to utilities across the state and even nationwide, to obtain additional help under already established mutual aid agreements.

For your part, we ask that you remain indoors during periods of high winds and lightning.  We will be monitoring the condition of the electric system from our System Operations Center, and from there we will be able to identify any outages as they occur using our remote monitoring system that includes the electric meter on your home.  Customers will be able to monitor the locations of electric outages using our on-line outage map on the City’s Hurricane Website.  If your power goes out you can notify us using the on-line outage-reporting tool from your smart phone (https://hurricane.lakeworthbeachfl.gov/) recognizing however that we may already be aware of the event.  You can also confirm that we know your power is out by referring to the on-line outage map (https://hurricane.lakeworthbeachfl.gov/ ) to see if your neighborhood is highlighted.  And you can always call us to let us know, but be aware that you may experience long wait times during storm events, and again, we likely already know that your power is out.

Our communications team will be providing regular updates throughout the weekend on our website and social media.

Lake Worth Beach - Hurricane Dorian Update #2

The City of Lake Worth Beach is well under way with hurricane preparations for Hurricane Dorian. Many people assume that the Mayor and City Manager are privy to information about the storm that isn't available to the public but the reality is that there is no more information available about the path of the storm than that which is on reputable news stations or websites such as NOAA. The City Manager's website of choice for looking at the models is Mikes Spaghetti Models which provides a good cross section of the available models. At this time the City will be following the guidance of the County, if you would like to stay up to date with the County download the PBC Dart app in your app store.

City staff have been working hard to prepare the City in case the storm is to hit Lake Worth Beach. You can expect multiple information releases to come from the City before, during, and after the storm.

If you haven't already followed us on social media please click the links below and look out for regular updates.

Together we can make it through whatever comes our way, we are Lake Worth Beach!

Hurricane Website

The City of Lake Worth Beach has launched our Hurricane Resource website. This site is designed to be clean in its design with minimal images so it is easy to load on a mobile device. Please bookmark:
 https://hurricane.lakeworthbeachfl.gov/.

We hope this will be a useful resource for all our residents to quickly find hurricane information from the City. On this page you can also access the outage tracker as well as the outage report form.

Lake Worth Beach Pier

The City of Lake Worth Beach will be closing the Lake Worth Beach Pier for the public’s safety at 6am on Saturday, August 31st. The pier will remain closed until further notice due to dangerous wave heights expected from hurricane Dorian.

Golf Course

The City of Lake Worth Beach will be closed as of Saturday, August 31st due to Hurricane Dorian. The course will reopen after the storm has passed and it is safe to do so.

Lake Worth Beach: Hurricane and storm preparedness.

Here is Dorian Special Update #1 from LWB City Hall:


As Tropical Storm [now Hurricane] Dorian approaches it is important to remain calm. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst!

As of this moment there is no certainty of the track of the storm with regards to South Florida. We encourage all residents to continue to monitor the situation through television, radio and the internet. City staff are doing the same and will continue to release information as we learn more. For now make sure you continue your hurricane preparations and do not become complacent. If you live east of Federal Highway this includes preparing for evacuation in case an evacuation order is given; as such it is essential you have a full tank of gas in your evacuation vehicle (do not wait until the order to fill up).

City staff have been working hard to prepare the City in case the storm is to hit Lake Worth Beach. You can expect multiple information releases to come from the City before, during, and after the storm.

If you haven’t already followed us on social media please click the links below:

• For more information included in the latest update click on this link.
• To follow the official City of Lake Worth Beach on Twitter use this link.
• For the official Lake Worth Beach page on Facebook click on this link.
• For the City’s official Hurricane Resource page.

Together we can make it through whatever comes our way, we are Lake Worth Beach!

Start Preparations. International Talk Like A Pirate Day (ITLAPD) is 1½ fortnights away.

ITLAPD is always held on September 19th.

“If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide.”

—Quote. Mahatma Ghandi, 1928.

Those who knew Ghandi well understood his sense of humor and that humor, “was one of his strongest features and one of the things people most liked and admired about him.”


“Whereas, it is fun to talk like a pirate by using words like Arrrrr, ye and bilge rat”

—Excerpt. International Talk Like a Pirate Day proclamation at Lake Worth City Commission on Sept. 19th, 2018 read by Lake Worth Beach Mayor Pam Triolo.

Ghandi and bilge rats and silly proclamations!
How did we get here? 

Here’s how the scheme went down. Former Palm Beach Post reporter Willie Howard, on learning of the first annual ITLAPD coming up on September 19th, 2012, reached out to a City resident who called this annual celebration in the L-Dub, “juvenile, nonsensical — a day that might occur in a kindergarten class.”

Then Willie Howard in his 2012 article titled,
“ ‘Talk like a pirate day’ in Lake Worth
has some up in arms” continued. . .

She [City resident] said the city should not waste time on such foolishness because it has serious problems. Bornstein [City Manager Michael Bornstein] responded in part with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi:

“If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide.”

     “I’m so sorry you find this fun, silly proclamation anything more than that,” Bornstein wrote in his response to [former commissioner JoAnn] Golden. “I could easily become consumed with a sense of over correctness in almost everything involved in government. However, I refuse to become devoid of all the wonderful human emotions including, most importantly, humor.”

Save the Date!

The 7th Annual ITLAPD in Lake Worth Beach is on September 19th.

Here is official text of the ITLAPD proclamation presented at the City Commission:

PROCLAMATION

Whereas, old pirate culture from the Caribbean is popular in TV shows, movies, literature, products, and rafting; and
Whereas, pirates are colorful, adventurous, mischievous and flamboyant; and
Whereas, two re-enactors, John Bauer and Mark Summers instituted International Talk Like A Pirate Day in 1995; and
Whereas, humorist Dave Barry liked the idea so much he promoted it in his nationally syndicated column in 2002, igniting a powder keg of followers worldwide; and
Whereas, it is fun to talk like a pirate by using words like Arrrrr, ye and bilge rat; and
Whereas, everyone would like to think they have a little bit of pirate spirit inside of themselves.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Pam Triolo, Mayor of the City of Lake Worth, Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me, do hereby proclaim:
SEPTEMBER 19, 2017 as INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY and urge all citizens of Lake Worth as well as all the less worthy sailors and scalawags in other communities to celebrate in a hearty and fun loving way on September 19th!
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
I have set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Lake Worth, Florida to be affixed this 19th day of September, 2017.

______________________
Pam Triolo, Mayor ATTEST